1978 winner: A Severe Mercy: C.S. Lewis and a Pagan Love Invaded by Christ, Told by One of the Lovers by Sheldon Vanauken.
The author and his wife, a couple very much in love and blissfully "pagan," meet and marry before World War II. Their friendship with C.S. Lewis at Oxford results in the wife's total surrender to Christ, followed by the author's intellectual commitment. The "severe mercy" is her untimely death, a tragedy through which her husband finds his own faith. RC 12137.

1979 winner: Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free by F.F. Bruce.
A noted British evangelical scholar weaves an integrated account of the life and theology of Saint Paul. Examines such themes in Pauline thought as the Mosaic Law, baptism, the Lord's Supper, and the life to come. RC 12445.

1983 winner: It’s My Turn by Ruth Bell Graham.
The wife of evangelist Billy Graham reflects on her early years as daughter of medical missionaries in China and her later life as the stay-at-home partner of her globe-traveling husband. She provides a behind-the-scenes look at her family, describing the difficulties of long separations and revealing both the pain and the delight of raising their five children. RC 22705.

1985 winner: A Time for Remembering: The Story of Ruth Bell Graham by Patricia Cornwell.
This is a biography of the famous evangelist's wife relating her childhood in China, meeting Billy at Wheaton, marriage, and motherhood. Reveals a vivacious, deeply religious woman who is a sustaining helpmate to her husband in his worldwide ministry. RC 20545.

1988 winner: Heir to a Dream by Maravich and Darrel Campbell.
"Pistol Pete," who has been inducted into the All-American Basketball Hall of Fame three times, tells his story of life on and off the court, from his youth to the National Basketball Association. Chronicles his struggle with alcoholism, his family problems, and the religious faith that helped him triumph over his difficulties. RC 28246.

1990 winner: Dr. Dobson Turning Hearts toward Home: The Life and Principles of America's Family Advocate by Rolf Zettersten.
A member of Dobson's Focus on the Family staff looks at the private side of Dr. Dobson. He begins with Dobson's parents and their effect on his life. He then talks of Dobson's family, his years in graduate school, the success of his book Dare to Discipline (RC 23722) and the establishment of his ministry. RC 32235.

1991 winner: Comeback by Dave Dravecky.
Baseball player Dave Dravecky had been in the majors for six years when a lump in his pitching arm was diagnosed as cancerous. He describes how his faith and that of his family helped him cope with the ordeal of tests, surgery, and the news that he would never pitch again. It was termed a miracle that Dravecky did successfully pitch again, but he retired shortly afterwards because of medical complications. RC 34849.

1992 winner: Under Fire: An American Story by Oliver North.
Oliver North offers his detailed view of the Iran-Contra arms controversy in this secretly written autobiography. Presenting himself as a patriotic, religious, family man, North describes his childhood, his stint in Vietnam, and his work on the National Security Council staff at the White House. Stating that he never saw himself above the law, North conveys his perception of betrayal by his administration. RC 33903, BR 8613.

1998 winner: Just As I Am: The Autobiography of Billy Graham by Billy Graham.
The famed minister reminisces about his evangelical work around the globe. The author also details his close relationships with world leaders, including United States presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton. Graham portrays the illuminating effect he felt his ministry made during his more than fifty years of service. RC 45546.

2003 winner: Let’s Roll: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Courage by Lisa Beamer with Ken Abraham.
The widow of Todd Beamer, who led his fellow passengers against the terrorists on September 11, 2001, on Flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania, describes her late husband's life. Todd, a devout Christian family man, was raised with some traditional values that enabled him to risk his life for others. RC 54895, BR 14374.